Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
As the 17th century came to a close, Protestant England had successfully put down
every rebellion. To counter Irish feistiness, the ruling English out-and-out attacked the
indigenous Gaelic culture through legislation called the Penal Laws. Catholics couldn't
vote, hold office, buy land, join the army, play the harp, or even own a horse worth
more than £5. Catholic education was banned and priests were outlawed. But the Penal
Laws were difficult to enforce, and many Catholics were taught at hidden outdoor “hedge
schools,” and worshipped in private or at secluded “Mass rocks” in the countryside.
Protestant Rule (1700s)
During the 18th century, urban Ireland thrived economically, and even culturally, under
the English. Dublin in the 1700s (pop. 50,000) was Britain's second city, one of Europe's
wealthiest and most sophisticated. It's still decorated in Georgian (Neoclassical) style,
named for the English kings of the time (consecutive kings George I, II, III, and IV, who
ruled for more than a century).
But beyond the Pale surrounding Dublin, rebellion continued to brew. Over time, greed
on the top and dissent on the bottom led to more repressive colonial policies. The En-
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